Child's Play
by ChildofMyth
Summary: Once Child gets her first five Pokeballs, the curse begins. A demon is paving her way for this journey with the roll of a die. Join Child in her torturous hell as the journey proceeds, who knows? Chance may just be on her side. (A Pokemon HeartGold Dicelocke/Nuzlocke. See second chapter rules for more info and full summary.)
1. Child's Play

(Full Summary: Child is the oddly named, somewhat disturbing girl from New Bark Town, though she left to work for Mr. Pokemon to avoid going on her Pokemon journey. But that's weird. What child doesn't want to go on their own Pokemon journey. This Child. See, once she gets her first five Pokeballs, the curse begins. A demon is paving her way for this journey with the roll of a die. Join Child in her torturous hell as the journey procedes, who knows? Chance may just be on her side.)

My feet made soft thuds as they landed over and over on fresh green grass that swayed so easily in the breeze. I took in a deep inhale and sighed in satisfaction, one hand rising to bat a chestnut lock out of my eyes, the other cradling the red and blue speckled egg I had been carrying. Bright green eyes locked down on the creature skipping next to me. I smiled.

"I always love walking through this forest, don't you, Aramis?" I asked happily.

"Cyn, cyndaquiiiiil!" The creature squealed back. Aramis was my trusty partner, a male Cyndaquil. I needed him to be able to travel wherever my boss, Mr. Pokemon, needed me to go. Currently I was on the job, bringing this newly discovered egg to Professor Elm.

I used to live in lush New Bark Town, but all kids there leave for their Pokemon journies at a certain age, its different for each individual kid. It was like, a right of passage for us. But I was avoiding being sent on mine. No one understood why I would, but there's no way to try and explain it to them without sounding crazy. Lets just say I have a few skeletons in the closet, even at age 15.

So instead I took a job for Mr. Pokemon as his errand girl. And I am content.

Aramis crooned, snapping me from my thoughts. I looked forward, towards town and froze for only a moment. Professor Elm's lab was right towards the entrance of the town. So all the police vehicles surrounding the place were kind of hard to miss.

I rushed forward, holding onto the egg securely, Aramis on my heels. I slammed into the laboratory in my haste, usually I was more meek than anything. "P-Professor Elm?!" My voice squeaked out, jade eyes surveying the area. There was a broken window, police were everywhere, one with spiked blue hair talking to the Professor. Speaking of the Professor, he was covered in cuts and bruises, having obviously been put through a fight.

"P-Professor, what happened?" I asked hastily, rushing up to him. The officer narrowed her eyes at me. Elm let out a deep breath and shook his head at the officer. "Don't worry. It wasn't her. It was a boy, had red hair." The blue haired woman of authority nodded. "I will leave you be to talk." Professor Elm nodded in appreciation.

I clutched the speckled egg tightly to myself, though keeping careful not to break it. "Professor?" My voice was naturally soft and small. I was not a very outspoken girl.

Elm heaved a sigh and plopped down in his chair, fingers massaging his temples. "A boy broke into the lab. He stole Atticus." I gasped. Atticus was one of the Professor's three starter Pokemon, a Totodile. "Who would do that Professor?"

Elm just shook his head, fingers drawn to trace over a knot on his forehead. "Some kid. 16, 17 maybe. He had red hair. He came in here and dashed for the two. I jumped in his way and grabbed onto him, but he fought against me, grabbing Atticus's Pokeball in the process. He beat me off of him and exited through the window." The battered man explained, motioning vaguely towards the window.

I blinked before tenderly grabbing onto the Professor's sleeve. "A red haired boy? P-Professor... on my way here I passed a red haired boy. He was wearing black and clutching something to his chest. He dropped his trainer ID, so I called him back for it. His face was so..." I scrunched my eyebrows together in thought, vividly recalling the boy's expression. "Scared. He looked terrified. Snatched the card from me with a quick thank you and ran..."

Elm grabbed my arm tightly. "Of course he was scared! Probably scared he was going to get caught! Did you see his name?"

I frowned softly. No, he seemed scared of something else...

"Y-yeah.. It was, uh.. Silver." I recalled quietly. The Professor gave the info to Officer Jenny and they left. But he still had a determined look on his face. "Professor?" I'd thought he'd lose that intenseness after the police left, relieved the boy would be caught. But I was wrong.

"Child..." He looked down at me with a steely gaze. Dread flowed through me at that face. I would not like what he had to say next.

"I need you to go after him. But the only way to get through the cities is to collect badges. That means..." The Professor trailed off, but I knew exactly what he meant. Horror etched itself into my eyes and I stepped back. "N-no! Professor, please!"

Elm closed his eyes and turned from me, but continued speaking. "Oak gave you a Pokedex and you have a starter. I just contacted Mr. Pokemon, he said you may go. You have to take your journey, Child, and catch that thief."

Panic was setting in as I took another step backward. "Professor, please, no! T-the police will catch him, I don't have to-!" "CHILD! The police in this region are useless! Do you really think they'll catch this kid?"

I swallowed hard and took a different approach, pleading desperately at this point. "S-send Ethan! He'll-!" "Ethan left on his own journey this morning. Child..." The Professor advanced forward and I stepped back again, backing right into a wall. Elm grabbed my arms and leaned down to be eye level. "Please... You're Atticus's only hope.. If you wont do it for me then do it for him, please. I don't know what that boy will do to him..."

I looked away, closing my eyes tight as Elm held me for only a moment more before releasing me and turning away.

My Pokemon journey...

Flashes of darkness, glowing-_piercing _yellow eyes, and crimson splashed against the dark of my eyelids. Screams, terrible, horrible screams echoed in my ears and I snapped my eyes open in fear, gasping.

All those nightmares I had.. I've been avoiding this for so long...

But Elm was right. The police wouldn't be able to catch Silver, and if Ethan was gone, then I was the only one left. My fears didn't matter anymore. I was Atticus's only hope now.

I took a deep breath to try and steel my nerves and spoke, even though I knew I was still shaking like a leaf. "Okay. I'll do it." My voice was so weak, coming out in only a hoarse whisper. I'd go on this journey, to save Atticus. I'd have to have my journey one day anyways. I couldn't avoid it forever.

Elm slowly turned to look at me and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Child." My pant leg was pulled taunt. Aramis pawed at my leg. "Cynnn..." He whined in concern. I just swallowed the terrified lump in my throat and ignored him.

Elm shuffled through his drawers for a moment before producing a red shoulder bag. "H-here. This has five Pokeballs in it, you'll need them. It's not much but it's all I have." I just nodded and slipped the bag onto my shoulder.

"Thank you, Professor. It will be enough for now." I spoke in a monotone, eyes firmly placed on the ground. "I'll bring Atticus back. I promise." I placed the egg in Elm's hands, telling him it was from Mr. Pokemon, and turned to stride to the door.

"Thank you." The Professor repeated quietly. I didn't respond.

I went straight for Route 29.

Only a half hour ago the breeze held gentle promises, the swaying grass easing my troubles. But now the wind felt ominous, the grass waved violently, almost like a premonition. I swallowed thickly and looked down at Aramis. "Please forgive me..."

"Cyn?" Aramis looked up at me, so confused and scared.

I stepped forward.

Thundering, evil laughter surrounded me, the wind picking up to whip past me, making my hair fly wildly. I clapped my hands over my ears to try and block out that roaring laughing, heart seized with terror. But it was no use. The laughter was outside _and _in my head. Aramis was shaking and making frightened noises, though he never left my side. My knees felt like they were going to give out, ear drums ready to burst, when all at once it stopped. The breeze was gone with the laughter. Everything was still and quiet as the dead.

Then the shadow crept out towards me. I was frozen as I watched it puff and roll into a black plume before me. The laughter started once again, quieter this time. Malevolent.

Two yellow, eerie glowing eyes were the first to form the black mass, followed by a fanged grin, then a whole face. A body soon grew from the mass, floating just off the ground. Aramis shrieked in fear, but I didn't react. This wasn't my first time seeing this creature.

"Ah, Child." It began, voice normal and easy, shadowed by a different deep, malicious voice. "I see it's time for your Pokemon journey."

I avoid ed eye contact completely, unnerved by that lighting yellow stare that could easily drive anyone insane, and nodded slowly. I tried desperately not to quake under this _thing's_ gaze.

"Well, then you know what that means, now don't you?"

Again, I nodded. Aramis whined to me and I waved a hand at him softly to shush him.

"It's time for your punishment, dear Child. Are you ready to begin?" The shadow pulled out a gleaming, crimson red twenty-sided die.

I nodded a last time, trembling in my shoes. A single tear rolled down my cheek.

"Yes, brother."

The demon's laugh rumbled from deep within his throat as the die rolled from his hand and fell through the air.

_ "Let's play."_


	2. Dicelocke Rules

Trainer: Child (Female)

Starter:  
Cyndaquil  
Aramis  
Male  
Mild  
Capable of taking hits  
Lv. 5

Rival: Silver (Male)

HeartGold Dicelocke Rules:

The rules take effect after you receive your first Pokeballs.  
-Turn Battle style to set, fore it is a game of chance.  
-Can catch doubles  
-Can catch legendaries, can't use  
-Poisonfaint = dead  
-Comic clause: You may ignore the death of your starter ONCE, and if you wipe out completely, you may restart to your save point and retry. Catch only the first Pokemon in each area, with exception of rolls.

Each time you enter an area for the FIRST TIME(no re-rolls when you re-enter an area), you roll a die with 20 sides.

According to what you roll:  
1. Randomly determine a team member. This team member is now dead.(Ignore if team has only one member.)  
2. Manually choose a Pokemon. This Pokemon will be killed.  
3. Randomly determine a team member. This team member will now be replaced with an equally random box member. The previously boxed member cannot leave the team(unless rolled otherwise), and only if this member dies can the other member, who was boxed, return to the team.(Ignore if there are no boxed Pokemon.)  
4. Randomly determine a team member. This team member cannot evolve, ever, but also has to remain on the team until dead.  
5. Randomly determine a team member. This team member is the only one that can be used on this area, until either the member is killed or all important events are done.  
6. You can't catch a Pokemon here.  
7. You can catch the first 2 Pokemon here.  
8. You can choose which Pokemon you want to catch here.  
9. In this area, grass, water, and cave levels are each counted as seperate catch chances.  
10. You can catch the first 4 Pokemon which you encounter, but you may not weaken them at all.  
11. You can't use healing items here.  
12. You can only use healing items outside of battle.  
13. You can use healing items inside of battle.  
14. Buy 10 items.  
15. Buy 20 items.  
16. Throw away a random item completely.  
17. Empty your bag of all items that can be thrown away.  
18. For all important battles(Team Rocket, Gym Leaders, Rival battles) you will use the following rules: Randomly determine which move you are allowed to use with playing cards; if you switch you have to randomly determine to which Pokemon you switch with a six sided die; if you want to use an item, you have to flip a coin to decide whether you're allowed to use one or not.  
19. Nothing happens.  
20. Choose one Pokemon to resurrect.(You may not save this for later.)

As my own personal touch to the rules, I will be using a Name Randomizer for all of my Pokemon's names.

Now let's play, shall we?


End file.
